Interactive appliances, appliance systems and appliance control methods, and controls therefor

Abstract

An appliance control circuit has an occupancy sensor, a control signal receiver, a control signal transmitter, a control element, and a power supply. In operation, when the occupancy sensor senses an occupant, the occupancy sensor outputs a signal to cause the control element 9 to control power from the source of power to the appliance. Similarly, when a control signal is received by the control signal receiver the receiver outputs a signal to cause the control element to control power from the source of power to the appliance. At the same time, the control signal transmitter is activated based on the signal from the occupancy sensor. Multiple control circuits can be used to control one another. The appliance could be for example a light, a thermostat, or a camera.

1. A light fixture comprising:
 a light, 
 a housing that houses the light, and a control circuit comprising: 
 an occupancy sensor, 
 a control signal receiver, 
 a control signal transmitter operatively connected to the occupancy sensor, 
 a control element operatively connected to the occupancy sensor and to the control signal receiver, and 
 an output from the control element, the output wired between the light and a source of power, 
 wherein the control element controls the output to control power from the source of power to the light upon occupancy sensed by the occupancy sensor, 
 wherein the control element controls the output upon wireless receipt of a first control signal by the control signal receiver, and 
 wherein the control signal transmitter wirelessly transmits a second control signal upon occupancy sensed by the occupancy sensor, wherein the second control signal is the same as the first control signal in that the first control signal and the second control signal have a single format providing a same message that causes the control element to control the output, the single format being an uncoded signal format at a specified frequency of transmission. 
 
     
     
       2. The control circuit of  claim 1  further comprising a power supply for providing power to components of the control circuit. 
     
     
       3. The control circuit of  claim 1  wherein the control element controls power to the output to increase the amount of power supplied to the light. 
     
     
       4. The control circuit of  claim 1  wherein the control element controls the power to the output to activate the light. 
     
     
       5. The control circuit of  claim 1  wherein the control signal transmitter transmits an ultrasonic control signal, the control signal receiver is a microphone, and the control signal transmitter is a speaker. 
     
     
       6. The control circuit of  claim 1  wherein the control transmitter transmits an ultrasonic control signal, the control signal receiver is an ultrasonic transducer, and the control signal transmitter is an ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
       7. The control circuit of  claim 1  wherein signal strength of the control signal transmitter is settable. 
     
     
       8. The control circuit of  claim 1  wherein reception sensitivity of the control signal receiver is settable. 
     
     
       9. A system comprising:
 a plurality of light fixtures, each light fixture comprising:
 a light, 
 a housing that houses the light, and 
 a control circuit, each control circuit respectively comprising:
 a) an occupancy sensor, 
 b) a control signal receiver, 
 c) a control signal transmitter operatively connected to the occupancy sensor, 
 d) a control element operatively connected to the occupancy sensor and to the control signal receiver, and 
 e) an output from the control element, the output wired between the light and a source of power, 
 wherein the control element controls the output to control power from the source of power to the light upon occupancy sensed by the occupancy sensor, 
 wherein the control element controls the output upon wireless receipt of a first control signal by the control signal receiver, and 
 wherein the control signal transmitter wirelessly transmits a second control signal upon occupancy sensed by the occupancy sensor, wherein the second control signal is the same as the first control signal in that the first control signal and the second control signal have a single format providing a same message such that receipt by the control receiver would cause the control element to control the output, the single format being an uncoded signal format at a specified frequency of transmission. 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  wherein the light fixtures are installed such that at least one control circuit associated with a light fixture is within range of another control circuit to allow for control signals transmitted from the other control circuit to be received by the at least one control circuit. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein the light fixtures are installed such that a plurality of the control circuits are within range of a first control circuit associated with a light fixture to allow for control signals transmitted from the one control circuit to be received by the plurality of the control circuits. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9  wherein signal strength of each control signal transmitter is settable. 
     
     
       13. A method of operating a light fixture, the method comprising the steps of:
 sensing for occupancy using an occupancy sensor in a control circuit, 
 sensing for wireless receipt of a first control signal through a control signal receiver in the control circuit, and 
 if occupancy is sensed or control signals are received then wirelessly transmitting a second control signal through a control signal transmitter in the control circuit and providing an output from the control circuit to control a light in a housing of the light fixture, wherein the second control signal is the same as the first control signal in that the first control signal and the second control signal have a single format providing a same message such that receipt by the control receiver would cause the control element to control the output, the single format being an uncoded signal format at a specified frequency of transmission.